Community development is the process of working with diverse groups of people to achieve common goals. The field emphasizes grassroots work within place-based communities to improve social equity, economic opportunity, living conditions, public health, environmental justice, community food systems, and overall sustainability. But those with CD degrees may work at regional, state, national, and international scales as well. Helping people overcome disadvantage and addressing structural inequities related to race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, immigration status, and other factors is a major objective.